Flight Unplanned
by Sodamnparanoid
Summary: It's been 3 long years since they last saw each other. A chance run-in at an airport in NYC, and a cancelled appointment leads them to spending a night together. One of them is married, the other is about to be, but will this one in a million encounter rewrite their future?
1. Chapter 1

"Good evening passengers, Flight 694 Washington to New York will be beginning it's decent momentarily, please ensure all seats are in the upright position, fasten your seat belts and make sure you close the tray in front of you. Thank you for flying with us tonight, we hope you've enjoyed your flight."

Tony DiNozzo sat with his head resting against the plastic blind over the small aeroplane window. His girlfriend of two years sat beside him, reading some trashy magazine aimed at 18-25 year old women. Given that she is an 18-25 year old woman, it's more than fitting, however it still managed to piss him off.  
"Honey, buckle your seatbelt please we're about to land."

Jordyn Faris looked up at him from her magazine with a bored expression, but buckled up all the same. "So what's the plan then?" She asked, a mouth full of strawberry gum that had migrated to smelling like the poor imitation garlic chicken in flight meal they'd been all but force fed.  
"We land, collect our luggage, you go to your parents house, and I go visit my dad, then tomorrow I catch a train and meet you in Jersey at your dad's restaurant." Tony didn't bother to hide his frustration from her, it was after all, the fifth time in two hours she had asked him.  
"Just making sure. Now don't forget, my parents are taking me for a birthday surprise so we're not going to be reachable until tomorrow."  
"I know." He sighed, almost grateful to be getting his space from her.

It's not that he didn't love her, he absolutely did. But lately, the memories had been creeping back in. The chocolate brown eyes filled with fear and hurt as she tried explaining she didn't want things to be awkward. The sound of her sobs as he told her she had a plane to catch and she needed to leave. That was three years ago now though. He should be well and truly over it. But do you ever really get over walking away from the love of your life?  
To look at Jordyn, you would be forgiven for assuming that Tony had gone for someone the complete opposite to his once upon a time; she was leggy, pale, blonde, with big blue eyes and red lips, she was around the same height, but her voice was high pitched and sharp, and she didn't like playful teasing in the slightest.

His head was foggy from sitting in the cramped cabin for a few hours, and his legs ached. All he could think about was seeing his dad again, and getting a really strong drink into him. By the time Tony had made it to the enquiries desk at the entrance of the airport, he had all but forgotten about Ziva David again. Of course, the universe has never been truly kind to any member of the DiNozzo family. His phone buzzed, and almost expecting what he was about to read, he got instantly more annoyed.

**SENDER: DAD 4:18PM  
**_Hey JR. Can't make it tonight.  
Hot date with a pretty lady.  
You know how it is.  
We'll catch up when I am in DC next._

"Figures." Tony muttered to himself, shoving his phone deep into his pocket. "Now I have to get a number for a damn hotel." Sighing, he dragged his feet to stand in the enquirers line, taking in everyone in front of him - a tired looking mother with three kids who refuse to behave, a shaking old guy leaning on a cane who keeps blowing kisses to his wheelchair ridden wife, a few tall, large men who looked like you wouldn't want to pick a fight with them in a bar, and a woman with dark hair at the front of the queue, shouting at the receptionist waving her hands frantically.

"What do you mean you have lost my luggage. I have a connecting flight to DC in 2 Hours. How are you going to fix this? You are incompetent. All of you." Tony's stomach lurched. He knew that voice far too well.  
"It can't be." He mumbled to himself. "Please god, don't let it be- Ziva." The young woman had given up with the airline and was making her way back to the entrance when she stopped dead at the sight of him.  
"Oh my god, Tony! It has been years, how are you?" She looked as though she couldn't decide between hugging him or running away. The last time they had spoken, she had hurt him so badly that she wouldn't have blamed him for looking straight through her. She had to live with her mistakes. She had to live with what she did to him, and she had regretted it every day since.  
"Ziva." His voice was so quiet she could barely hear him. Without even realising he had done it, Ziva was in his arms in a massive hug, lifted off the ground. It felt natural to be hugging her so tightly. It was hard to let go once he realised he was actually physically holding her, and not just imagining her presence in his arms. There was something different though. Distant.  
"I have missed you." Ziva explained slowly. "I really have. I have to go though. Here is my number. I will be back from DC tomorrow evening. Maybe we can catch up, yes?"  
She handed him a black and gold business card written in both English and Hebrew, her number printed unmissably along the bottom. A million thoughts raced through Tony's mind at the thought of seeing Ziva again. Some good, some bad. He offered her a small smile as a response as she half walked- half jogged away, rushing towards check in.

"McGee. I need advice." The sun was going down as Tony's call connected to his best friends desk back at NCIS.  
"I'm listening Tony. But make it quick, Gibbs wants me to follow up a lead before he gets back from his meeting with the director."  
"I can't believe I'm coming to you for girl advice. What the hell is the world coming to?"  
"Well thanks, Tony. I appreciate the vote of confidence."  
"Shut it, McGoo. This is serious grown up stuff. I ran into Ziva." There was no response for a while, "McGee, are you there?"  
"Sorry Tony – I just don't know what to say..."  
"Yeah, well she wants me to catch up with her for drinks tomorrow night." Tony forced a knuckle between his teeth, a nervous tick he had developed after years of life risking employment and near-death experience.  
"Do it. Look, as much as things with you guys went the complete opposite direction to how anybody anticipated they would, you guys were still best friends – and that should count for something at the very least."  
"But what about Jordyn? I told her about Ziva when we were dating. I don't think she'd appreciate it if I went and had drinks with an old flame while I'm here to ask her dad's permission to marry her."  
"Well Tony, if the flame's still there between you and Ziva you shouldn't be marrying Jordyn to begin with, and if it's not, then it's nothing more than catching up with an old friend. I really can't tell you what to do here Tony. Sorry. I have to go. Gibbs alert."

The line went dead, and Tony started pacing his hotel room. There wasn't much to look at. The floor was off-white carpet, which matched the walls. Thick red drapes framed floor to ceiling windows, the furniture was all imitation oak, and the bedding looked new, but smelled old. It wasn't a dump, but it also wasn't exactly the presidential suite. Minutes after Tony had finished unpacking, there was a knock at the door. Expecting the maid or room service he didn't think to check through the peep hole before yanking the door open.

"Tony." It wasn't a maid or room service though. It wasn't Jordyn either. Standing in front of him, wearing a high waisted black skirt, and a light pink chiffon singlet tucked in loosely, standing on gravity defying pumps stood the woman who completely tore his heart out three years ago. The thought occurred to him to just close the door in her face, walk away, try to escape the hurt before it consumed him again. He couldn't do that though, so instead, something compelled him to step aside.  
"Hello Ziva." There was no emotion in his voice as he lead her to the small living area and took a seat. "How did you know where to find me?"  
"Tony, I may not work for NCIS any more, but that doesn't mean I forgot how to track someone down." There was a hint of amusement in her voice, but mostly she seemed to be trying to work out whether or not she was an unwanted visitor.  
"You're not. It's okay that you're here." There it was. That uncanny ability to read her mind. Ziva's heart beat jumped from average to fast in the space of that one sentence. "I've missed you too." He added awkwardly, finally replying to her admission at the airport almost six hours earlier.  
"You do not seem happy to see me, Tony."  
"I'm just confused – weren't you supposed to be on a connecting flight to DC?"  
"The Director rang me before the plane took off. Told me it would cause too much of an issue if I came in. Apparently his loyalties are currently being questioned. And after everything that happened with-" Ziva stopped short, that wasn't territory either one of them wanted to breach again. Silence lingered between them for what felt like hours, suffocating them, somehow making them want to get closer and run away, both at the same time.

"You're married?" Tony realised he was asking the question before he'd even fully processed the rings on her finger.  
"I am. Yes."  
"Happily?" He didn't know why he asked, he just knew he had to know. The question seemed as desperately important to him as breathing or eating.  
"As happily as anybody can be these days I suppose." She didn't give any clue as to whether or not she was happy at all. In fact, it seemed like the Ziva he first met, who almost never showed emotion.  
He wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, but he decided to drop the questions before he learned something he wasn't ready to know.  
"Look Ziva I-" "Look Tony I-" the two tried to speak at the same time, causing them both to show the faintest hint of a smile. "So, if you're here tonight, and I'm here tonight, do you want to have drinks now instead?" Tony was the first to finish speaking, not sure what response he was hoping for, and similarly, having no idea where the hell the question came from.

* * *

**a/n: **_I'm putting the outfit links on the bottom of each chapter. If you guys want me to get rid of them/don't even pay attention, let me know and I'll get rid of them since it's quite time consuming to track down matches online..._****

Ziva:  
Top: .me/shop/2587/images/572592/il_fullxfull.270868636 _ ?1347114336

**Skirt:** .

**Shoes:** images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ1AUnCXv5FfEoA-d4ckTqzYmmJzGX9kMLl3i133u wEHg99dF4gsA


	2. Chapter 2

"Drinks tonight?" Ziva questioned skeptically. "Tony, when I asked you about it when I first ran into you, you seemed hardly likely to call me. What made you agree?"  
"Prosperity. Also, I'm asking Jordyn to marry me." Tony stared at Ziva's face while he spoke, carefully trying to guage the woman's reaction. She had none. As always, rock hard, showing no emotion whatsoever.  
"So what part of that would make you want to have drinks with me? Why not Abby, McGee, or Palmer?"  
"Well David, because they're all the way in DC, and we're here in NYC. Somewhat of a gap. And skype drinking just seems pathetic to me." Tony snorted a little about his wit, but quickly realised there was a somber tone to Ziva's responses. "Well David, are you in or are you out?"  
"Tony, as much as I suspect that I will grow to regret this, I am in." She smiled, seeing the corners of her old partners lips curve into a smile.

"Table, or bar?" Tony asked as they stepped into the hotel bar slash nightclub. It seemed a little bit too try-hard for an upscale building, but at the end of the day, nobody goes to a club for the décor, so Tony decided not to pass commentary on their decorators lack of skills.  
"I vote bar." Ziva lead the way to the stools lining the pine counter that had light panels stuck to the front. They flashed a rotating cycle of bright green, bright pink, bright blue, then bright orange and back. She had gone home for a while to change and was wearing a short red dress with the sides cut out and the same shoes from earlier in the day.  
"I'll have a scotch, and a Martini for the man shaken, not stirred, gin, extra olives." Ziva ordered their drinks, remembering Tony's perfectly.  
"I'm impressed miss David, well done. Three years on and you still remember my drinks order."  
"Some things, Tony, I will never forget." She smiled carefully at him, taking in the way his hair was slightly shorter, but just as styled as ever, he wore similar suits, but he'd gained muscle since then so they fit him slightly differently. His clothes were still designer, his sunglasses were still aviators, and he still wore that charming smile, even when he had no reason for grinning.

For a while, they sat – sharing drink purchases – and stories of their lives over the last three years. Ziva explained she wasn't at Ducky's funeral because she was stuck in the middle of nowhere and couldn't get a flight to DC to save herself, and Tony explained how he met Jordyn through McGee's little sister ("I swear, the whole thing was not as creepy as that sounds on it's own." He insisted after Ziva nearly fell out of her chair laughing about how gross that made him sound). It didn't take much for them to fall into their old relationship of best friends and easy conversationalists. They reminisced on how wild and untamed Ziva was when she first came to NCIS, and how charmed she was by Tony's cockiness. He told her about the house he built with Gibbs after she left, because he got tired of the apartment life ("You're missing out, Jr." His father once told him, and it took Tony a while to understand just what he meant by that). And she told him about how she ended up married a month after she met her husband because she lost a bet.

"Are you sure you're happy Ziva?" Tony asked a while later. It must have been getting late, the crowd was starting to dwindle and the bartender looked as though he just wanted everybody to leave so he could go home himself.  
"I am happy in some areas. In others I am not."  
"Care to be more specific?" He pushed, hoping he wouldn't force her too far away.  
"He's cheating on me. Has been since pretty much day one. Usually it is barely legal bikini models and sorority girls. He did it the first time to show me how good I have it, then after that because I do not want children with him. I do not care. I barely know him now. We are seperated. I was going to finalise the divorce when I got to DC, but the new Director vetoed me going, so I could not." She looked down and fiddled with her rings while she spoke, she almost sounded relieved. "I did not want to make my parent's mistakes, Tony. I wanted to marry only once, for love, and I wanted to be sure. That is the only reason I have failed."  
"You haven't failed, Ziva." Tony reassured her, closing his hand around hers, "You just chose a different path."  
For five minutes, the two of them sat there staring at their hands intertwined, rubbing circles with their thumbs, soaking up the firey anticipation the motion spread through their bodies.  
"God Damnit." Tony mumbled, feeling his phone vibrate in his back pocket. Six missed calles all from McGee.  
"I have to take this Ziva, Promise me you'll still be here when I get back." She didn't respond, still transfixed on their hands joined together. "Promise."  
"I promise, Tony. I'm not going anywhere."

"God damnit McGee, this better be the most important thing you have ever said to me in your life."  
"I was just calling to let you know that Jordyn rang here to get me to track your cell. She wanted to come surprise you, but you weren't at your dad's apartment, and you're not in your hotel room."  
"What are you saying, McGee?" Tony was growing more irritated by the second, he had totally forgotten about his girlfriend for a while. He couldn't help it. There was this thing that happened when he was around Ziva which meant he had no idea what in the world was going on around him. A bomb could go off behind them, and he still wouldn't notice as long as his gaze was locked to hers.  
"I'm saying I told her your cell must be off. When I saw you were at the bar, I assumed you were with Ziva, and I don't know what is going on between you too, but honestly, I don't feel good lying about it. It's not my place to say anything though. So, I'm not going to. Just remember, as conceited and ignorant as Jordyn may be, she loves you. I know you love her too, but I don't think it's the same. Be careful Tony." McGee disconnected the call without saying goodbye, a sure sign he felt extremely uncomfortable. Tony made a mental note to call his friend tomorrow and either thank him for not interrupting the best night of his life, or kill him for making it impossible to escape.

"It's all good. Jordyn was just looking for me, but she's out with her family. I figure if she demands I don't contact her, she shouldn't be trying to contact me either." Tony explained as he sat back down beside Ziva, unsure if he should reach for her hand again or not.  
"Why don't we go back to your room Tony?" Ziva suggested, catching Tony entirely off guard.  
"Ziva, I think you misunderstood what we're doing here tonight. We're just two f-" Ziva held up a hand to silence her friend with an amused grin on her face.  
"So you can show me the pictures of your house, Tony. Remember?"  
Tony felt himself redden, and he nodded towards the door, guiding her out with their hands finding their way into eah other's.  
"I was very nervous Tony." Ziva admitted as the elevator doors closed, shutting them in the metal box. "When I saw you at the airport, I thought it was too good to be true. I honestly did not believe you would wish to see me again after- I'm just glad you did."  
"Ziva, you could set me on fire, and then tattoo my childhood nickname across my scarred and damaged forehead, and I am pretty sure I would still want to see you." He pulled her into a hug. Much softer than the one at the airport. This time the hug was filled with tenderness, and a love so strong he unerstood what unconditional really meant at that moment. He felt her breath against his chest, and goosebumps erupted all over his body. Somewhere along the way, their hands began wandering all over each other's bodies. Exploring their backs, their legs, their sides, arms... everything. It was like gravity in that elevator had some how magnified so much that they literally couldn't pull apart on the microscopic chance that they would even want to. It wasn't until they heard the elevator tell them that they had reached level 12 that they were able to tear themselves apart.  
"I really want to kiss you right now." Ziva admitted before they disembarked the elevator.  
Tony didn't reply, he didn't question it, think about it, or hesitate. He picked her up in a firemans hold, and carried her through the threshold of his room, with their lips firmly attatched and their tongues exploring each other's mouths.

* * *

**a/n:  
Ziva's outfit:**  
**Dress:** images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQYyzWuf5DvKsfue2oJhxjH7lWREfV5x0eu93pAGM jI8hdyJApn


	3. Chapter 3

"_Please Tony, don't do this." Tears were streaming down her face as she stood with her back against the door. "It was a stupid mistake. Like I said a moment of weakness. Please. We can make this work."  
"Ziva, I didn't say you could come and get your stuff so we could have a chat. I told you to come and get your stuff so I didn't have to hear from you again. You've got your stuff, now go."  
"Please. I am begging you, Tony." Her body fell into a heap in front of the door, one hand cradling the other. "Please." Her words came between heaving sobs and it took all the will power Tony had to stay strong and not just collapse beside her, kiss her, and tell her it's okay.  
"No Ziva. You have a plane to catch, and I have a job to get back. It's time for you to go. What possible reason in the universe could ever justify what you did to me?"  
"I was alo-"  
"You were not were never alone. If you called __**me **__instead of Adam, we would be fine now. You know that I would have been there. Regardless of whether I had to jump a helo, or charter a plane, or just get on the next flight over no force on earth could have stopped me from coming to you.. So do not __**ever **__condescend to tell me you were alone. I thought we had some kind of an understanding. I guess I thought wrong. Goodbye Ziva."  
"Tony, I love you. Please."_

Her words were still echoing in his brain when Tony woke up in a cold sweat. Looking beside him, he was relieved to see the sleeping body of the woman from his dreams. The photos of his house still clutched in her hands. "Ziva, wake up." he nudged her, and she stirred. "We need to talk."  
"Too early for talkng, Tony."  
"Ziva, it's nearly eleven a.m. It is not too early for talking. Wake up."  
She lifted her head from her blanket cuccoon she had created for herself over night. Dreading whatever Tony had to say.  
"Tony, I'm a married woman, sort of. And you're about to get engaged. What are we doing? What have we done? Is this really who we are now?"  
Tony's heart sank at the woman's words. He wanted to tell her that all they did was finally express their love for each other. He wanted to shake her and tell her that they've wasted too much time, and he was a fool for letting the Adam thing get to him so much. Their was nothing clear or official back then. He had no right to assume she was his. He wanted to tell her that if she still loved him, she was ready and willing to give it a try, because even after all of this time, and after the mountain of people who had come in and out of their lives, he still loved her. He still wanted her, and only her. She needed to know, but after that, he had to surpress it.  
"You're right, Ziva." He tried his best to hide the hurt in his voice, but even he could tell his agreement was false. "We really should just forget the whole thing."  
Ziva had pulled her clothes back on by now, and was ready to leave.  
"But uh, Tony – if you're ever in California, you should look me up. I'm getting transferred to a permanent offce next week. Goodbye."

"I feel so used." He muttered to the empty space, a hint of confusion in his voice and across his face. "Oh shit, Jordyn."

Tony took the fastest shower in his life, and raced to the subway in fifteen minutes fat. They said it was impossible, but somehow he managed. He barely made it to lunch in time.  
"Hey baby, sorry if I'm late. The train was delayed." He planted a half-hearted kiss on Jordyn's lips and felt – nothing. Completely nothing. With Ziva, there was passion. With Jordyn... Nothing.  
"It's okay, ma and pa still aren't here yet. So you're safe. You look nice. Happier. So you took my advice and got a massage, yeah?"  
"Something like that." Tony agreed, shrugging the comment off like it was nothing. He sent a silent prayer to the universe, pleading with it to stop Jordyn from asking where he was last night. He hadn't even thought to figure out a cover story.  
"Where were you last night?  
_Oh crap._  
"I uh, caught up with some boys from college. Played a bit of low stakes poker."  
"How come you didn't answer my calls, Tony?"  
"How come you felt the need to check up on me, or go through McGee to find me?" He returned her suddenly accusing tone, and narrowed his eyes at her. Fortunately, the conversation was diverted by the appearance of Jordyn's parents in the restaurant foyer. "Does your dad spend any time in his own restaurant Jords?" He asked quietly.  
"Not so much anymore, but you don't know that." She smiled, a toothy grin towards her parents as she spoke, careful not to move her lips.  
"Ah, this must be Tony." Mr. Faris eyed the agent up and down, sizing him up, trying to work out if the man in front of him was good enough for his little girl.  
"Jordyn." Her mother greeted her with open arms, and moved onto Tony, embracing him in a bear hug that reminded him of Abby's hugs back home.  
"It's a pleasure to meet you sir, Ma'am." He smiled, adressing them both respectively. "I suppose we should eat?"

They sat around a small table browsing a menu that all but Tony had long since memorised. "I think I'll get the carbonara." He finally decided after a lengthy peruse.  
"A fine choice, my good man." Mr. Faris applauded him with a hearty pat on the back that almost knocked the wind out of Tony. Eventualy after twenty minutes of awkward conversation, their food arrived and they ate in almost total silence. It's not that Tony had nothing to say, or he was trying to be rude, his mind was just filled with flashbacks from the night before – Ziva's legs wrapped around his, moving deep inside her, the way she purred his name, the twinge of her biting his lip, the way her skin felt against his, the pull of her fingers running through his hair as she begged for more. The part he struggled most to let go of though? The times they said "I love you". Those moments where they professed their inner most feelings towards each other. Where they were intimate, not just physical.  
"Tony, don't you have something you need to ask Daddy?"  
"Hmm?" He was roused from his very personal train of thought by his girlfriend lightly patting him on the shoulder and a table full of eyes on him.  
"Well, son?" Mr. Faris pushed, clearly not a patient man.  
"Well, Mr. Faris, I wanted to ask you, if …" Tony couldn't understand how he could be doing this. He didn't want to marry this woman. She was 23. Barely out of college. Most of his favourite movies were made long before she was even born. "I wanted to ask you if you wouldn't mind taking your baby girl back in for a while. I can't do this. I'm sorry." He didn't wait around to see their reactions. Ziva had told him where she was staying, so she knew exactly where he needed to go. At least, his feet did. His brain wasn't really in on the deal. He hadn't even realised where he was going until he saw her face peering around the door.  
"Tony. You're wet."  
"What? Oh yeah, it's raining."  
"Aren't you supposed to be having lunch in Jersey?"  
"It's you, Ziva. I couldn't go through with it. It's you. It's always been you."  
"Tony I-" She didn't have room to respond with his lips mashed against hers backing her into her room and against the wall, her hands roaming over his body, and his hands roaming over hers.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **I want to give you all a little bit of insight into my life for a moment. I have a very involved boyfriend who I love dearly and have been with for almost two years, together we have a perfect six month old son who shares his father's initials, and cheeky grin. I live in a house with my nosy mother and my even nosier sister, with our Maremma Sheepdog puppy named Thor and two obnoxious house cats named Samson and Delilah. As you can possibly imagine, my life is pretty hectic. Especially with trying to find something I am passionate about to study and combating crippling back pain from a pregnancy that was bad in so many ways. Given all of this, I may not always be able to update every single day, but I'll do my best. I promise this story will be updated at least once every two weeks.  
**Also, while I'm here, can you please wander over and sign the petition (copy link into a new tab and go ahead), to get CBS to bring Cote back to NCIS. We only need a few more signatures, and will petition them on our behalf - and so far they have a near 100% success rate. ** en-AU/petitions/cbs-television-studios-bring-cote- de-pablo-back-to-ncis

* * *

Tony woke up later that evening beside the woman who has always, and will always own all of him. She was smiling in her sleep, and he hoped he was the source of it. It took him a moment to realise he was woken up by the vibrating of his phone on the bedside table next to him.**  
**  
"DiNozzo" He whispered, trying not to wake the sleeping beauty.  
"Hey, what the hell happened Tony? I got woken up by a phone call from Jordyn saying you broke it off with her in front of her family."  
"Woken up? McGoober, that was the middle of the day."  
"I've been working late these past few nights. Gibbs let me have the afternoon. That's not the point, Tony. What happened?" McGee didn't even bother hiding his exasperation with his coworker.  
"I slept with Ziva. That's what happened."  
"Finally." McGee actually sounded happy about it. Tony was bracing himself for the absolute worst out of his best friend. Happiness, was not what he expected. "It's been a long time coming."  
"Tell me about it." DiNozzo agreed, standing on the balcony over looking a busy street.  
"Look, DiNozzo, I've gotta go. My sister's flying in tonight, and I'm supposed to have the place ready for her."  
"Alright McGeek. Say hello for me. Bye." Tony disconnected the call, and climbed back into bed beside his Israeli Goddess.

His smiling face was the first thing she saw when she woke up the next morning. Those piercing blue eyes were closed, his breathing relaxed and slow. She couldn't remember a time Tony didn't snore, except today. Carefully, Ziva ran her hands through his hair, reveling in the freedom to do it after so long. It was love. The kind of love that people wrote movies about, that they painted amazing works of art and penned the greatest novels about. That's all that hung between them. She sighed happily, pulling the thin white sheet over his shoulder more, and pulled herself out of bed.  
"Ziva?" Tony called softly, slowly drifting out of the most peaceful sleep he had in years.  
"I am right here Tony." She bent over and planted a small kiss on his temple. "But I have to go. My lawyer is in New York for the day, and wishes to talk to me about my settlement. Make yourself at home. I should not be long."  
"Alright Ziva." He mumbled, disappointed his long time fantasy of spending a day in bed with her wasn't going to happen.

It wasn't until Ziva's footsteps had receded almost to the front door an hour later that Tony pulled the covers off of himself and climbed out of bed. Catching her as she was taking her coat from the hall closet, he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her mid section. "Don't go, Ziva." He kissed her cheek, down to her neck, and back up again. She shifted her weight side to side, feeling him tighten his grip around her.  
"I have to Tony. I do not wish for this to be hanging over my head forever."  
"No, stay. I'll make coffee and omelettes, and we can spend our whole day just catching up."  
"That does sound amazing. But I'm sorry Tony, I cannot." Regretfully, she slipped out of his arms and finished putting her coat on, kissing him until he had her backed against the door. "But I'll be back later, and we'll do whatever you want." She promised between kisses.  
"Goodbye Ziva." Even though it was only temporary, DiNozzo hated the way those words tasted in his mouth. Bitter, and wrong.

By the time Ziva had sorted things out with her lawyer, she was exhausted and frustrated. She knew that it was going to be a crappy morning, but being surprised with a conference call to her ex-husband's legal team was just the cherry on top. She was definitely in no mood for the sexist remarks the taxi driver was making about her over the radio, assuming of course she didn't speak Hebrew. "That's enough." She snapped, in the driver's native tongue. She watched his eyebrows raise, and the red tinge creep over his face. She couldn't help but smirk the whole way home as the driver sat in uncomfortable silence.  
When she walked in the front door, she was greeted by the smell of chicken roasting, and the sounds of soft Jazz, hanging up her coat, she called out to Tony, letting him know she was home safe. He emerged wearing a brand new suit, clean shaven, with his hair styled in its' usual neat-yet-messy way. "Ah miss David, if you would like to follow me to the bathroom, I have a surprise waiting for you." curiously, she allowed herself to be lead through the bedroom and into the adjoining bathroom.  
"Tony, it's beautiful." The room was littered with candles of all shapes and sizes, and rose petals floated on the surface of a musky smelling bath. The jazz that radiated throughout the apartment was wafting through the speakers, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of instant calm and relaxation. There were brand new fluffy towels folded beside the bath with a red rose on top, and a fluffy new robe hung on the back of the door.  
"As are you, my darling. Now soak, Dinner will be ready in a few hours." Tony kissed Ziva on the cheek and wandered back to the kitchen, placing another set of gifts on the neatly made bed for his – whatever she was at that point. He stared down at his phone:

19 Missed Calls  
JORDYN FARIS.  
8 New Text Messages  
JORDYN FARIS (6)  
MCGEE (2)

He sighed, throwing his phone down on the counter in front of him and returning to his kitchen duties. He didn't tell people about his mother teaching him the basics of cooking when he was young, before she died. He didn't like to talk about her much. People always said sorry. It happened so long ago now, that sorry was just a word people didn't really mean anymore.  
Shortly after Tony finished making the batter for his Chocolate Molten cakes, He heard Ziva get out of the bath and open the door separating bed and bath. He waited another minute, listening for the gasp he knew he would hear.

Ziva looked down at the bed in front of her. There was a beautiful pair of silver heals, a long purple dress that reminded her of being undercover in Morocco, and some gorgeous diamond jewelry. The note on the top of the pile said "_Ziva, any woman as beautiful as you, deserves to have only the most beautiful things in life. -T."_ She smiled, smelling a sweet perfume on the letter. The same one she wore when she first started at NCIS all that time ago.  
When she walked into the dining room a short time later, wearing her new outfit, she couldn't help but feel slightly nervous. It had been so long since she'd dressed up for a man. Never, for the only man she had ever truly loved. "Ziva, you look amazing." Tony breathed, putting the finishing touches on the candlelit dinging table. He could hardly manage the words, she really was breathtaking in the outfit he'd picked out for her.  
"Thank you Tony. Really, I appreciate everything you have done for me. It smells delicious." She kissed him firm on the lips and stood there, not sure what to do. There was something about tonight that made her uneasy – in the best possible way. She felt naked around him, raw, exposed, and a dirty little part of her, that she'd banished to the back of her mind in a life where there was no room for weakness or insecurity loved that. She loved him. But yet, it still felt too soon to ever say as much.  
"Take a seat, Ziva. There is something I want to ask you." He gestured towards the chair beside her, and walked around to pull it out and push it in for her. She smiled up at him from her place at the table, so content that finally, they were having a real dinner. Not burgers and soda in the bullpen.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **So, thank you all so much for the amazing reviews. You're all stars. I am truly so grateful. I hope you're liking this story. :)  
Also, the next chapter (chapter six) has a twist. A cookie to anyone who can guess it, and a cameo name drop as well. Just because.

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"Take a seat, Ziva. There is something I want to ask you." He gestured towards the chair beside her and walked around the beautifully dressed table to pull it out, and push it back in for her. Once she was seated, she smiled up at him. Contentment filled her face and heart at the fact that they were finally having a real dinner, as opposed to burgers and soda in the bullpen back at NCIS.  
"Something you want to ask me?" She parroted as he sat in his own chair.  
"Yes. But that comes later. For now, why don't we just eat and enjoy each other's company for a change?" His suggestion made Ziva worry somewhat, maybe it wasn't something she wanted to hear. Maybe it had nothing to do with their relationship. All she knew was that Tomorrow, Tony would be going back to his own life at NCIS, and she would be heading to her beachside condo in California to start her new job there. It seemed so impossible that after all of this time, she would be losing him again. After finally seeing him, being a part of him, and him a part of her, that they would just as quickly be losing each other again. "Is something wrong?" Tony added, noticing the concerned expression on her face, his own features now mirroring hers.  
"No Tony. I was just thinking about circles."  
"Circles."  
"Yes Tony. This looks incredible." Her sudden change of subject wasn't missed by Tony, but he decided not to push. Whatever it was, she would tell him if and when she was ready, and that had to be enough. It was still early days, and his fears were synching with Ziva almost identically. There was no use in maybe pushing her away.  
"Thank you, so do you." He flashed her a charming smile and poured them both a glass of white wine. She blushed at his compliment and raised her glass in a toast to them both. After a few more glasses, the air around them grew thick with tension. Tony had decided it was now or never.  
"Ziva, Tomorrow, our lives go back to the way they were three days ago. I go back to DC, you go to Cali, and we won't be seeing each other every day. I know you, and I know you keep people at a distance- I'm not finished." He added at her hand raised in protest. "And I understand why. But I am asking you to please, not keep me at a distance anymore. I was done pretending years ago, Ziva. I was done just flirting for sport and eyeing you off when I thought you weren't looking. Somewhere along the line, you became the most important person in my life, and I don't want to just walk away from that again. When it came to Adam, I was stupid. I should have just stayed, I shouldn't have let it get to me. Just let me in, please. Let's do it – let's give this a shot. Please?"  
Ziva mulled the request over in her head, staring at the man in front of her, and thinking of all the detail he had put into the night. She was an idiot once, chosing anybody over him, and she wasn't about to just let him go again.  
"Of course, Tony." Her reply may have been short, but it spoke volumes about her life, and her feelings, and how desperately ready she was to be his. She couldn't believe that they had wasted the amount of time they did in worrying about Gibbs' rules, or what people would think, or the possibility of losing each other or groing tired of one another, that they somehow both neglected to realise that would never be the case. Their love was truly infinite.

"When did you realise you felt more than just friendship for me, Tony?" Ziva asked, her fingers linked in him. They were lying under the blankets, pillows and clothes all over the room.  
"First, it was when you asked me if I was having phone sex. I hated you for who you replaced, but there was something about you that I couldn't escape. I couldn't stop thinking about you. But when we got assigned to go undercover, and things got a little carried away, I figured you weren't interested in anything else. But then it started over again right before Jenny gave me the secret assignment about the frog. That was the worst part about it." He rubbed circles in the back of her hand with his thumb, refusing to make eye contact with her. It was a hard time for both of them back then, and he didn't care to bring it up. "I thought if you knew it was a mission, you'd hate me for not telling you, but if you thought it was for real, you'd just move on. So, I kept the director's secret, and I hoped for your sake, you would find someone else." She shifted her position so that her head was in his lap and she could stroke his legs. "And what about you, Agent David?"  
"Something about being trapped in a shipping container with you seemed to make me realise how attracted to you I was." She admitted, remembering their time in the giant metal box.  
They talked for hours, catching up on even more of their lives apart, and reminiscing about all of the times when they worked together. By the time morning came, and Tony had woken up, Ziva was gone.

_Tony,  
I could not wake you. I could not face another goodbye. My flight lands in California at 2PM. I will call you then. Your father called, told me he heard from your girlfriend. "Congratulations and thank god." were the words he used. I will call you later.  
-Ziva._

He read the note she had left on her pillow, with it was her new address and phone number in California. He smelled the note, Ziva's perfume, and felt his heart break in the slightest for her absence. He wasn't left to think of it for very long though, his thoughts were interrupted by his phone buzzing beside him.

"DiNozzo."  
"Holiday's over DiNozzo, one of our marks was found dead in LA. You're going to need to get back here today. Helo leaves at 2100 hours. Do not be late." Gibbs demanded over the phone. His no-nonsense tone suggested he was less than happy about having to go to LA. The last time the team had ventured that way, he had been forced to spend a week next door to his ex-wife who just wouldn't let go of the idea that they could get back together.  
"Got it boss. On my way."  
Tony suddenly felt a thousand times lighter as he disconnected the call. LA, he would be seeing Ziva again so much sooner than he thought. He almost felt guilty that someone's death was bringing them together again, but the reality was, without people dying, they probably never would have met.

By the time he had gotten home, and then to base, he was almost giddy. His first stop was going to be Ziva. Well, a shower, and then Ziva. He decided not to tell her. On the off chance her own boss hadn't told her they would be working together, he wanted to surprise her. There were one or two things though, he knew she wouldn't be happy about.


	6. Chapter 6

Tony stepped out into the warm California air from his hotel room, and made a beeline to his new Mustang. He groaned as he slid his body into the driver's seat, the stifling heat engulfing him. The engine roared to life, and Tony pulled out of the garage, setting course for Ziva's house. There was a radiation issue at the crim escene, so until the HAZMAT team had dealt with that little problem, the crime scene was completely out of bounds. "I could have sworn there was more traffic than this last time I was in LA." He mumbled to himself, flying through the almost empty streets, singing along to Hotel California. His cell phone rang, flashing Jordyn's number. "That's a no." He joked to himself, switching it off and pulling into Ziva's driveway. "Condo" was an understatement. Ziva's company sponsored home, was two story, the architecture itself was Spanish themed, there was a fountain in the driveway and it sounded like there was a pool being cleaned in the back yard. He couldn't explain it, but seeing her new home suddenly made him feel seriously nervous.  
"Tony" Ziva smiled, appearing from around the side of her house, wearing a sheer white shirt over a purple barely there bikini and a floppy hat. She removed the giant sunglasses that were perched on her face and opened her arms to him as he stepped of his car.  
"Ziva." he almost broke the sound barrier with how quickly he broke the distance between them. Their lips met, slowly and gently at first, but getting increasingly more passionate. His hands clasped around the bottom of her ass, lifting her further into the kiss that he'd been thinking of since she left him in the hotel.  
"Mama?" A small boy with dark hair and eyes walked out the front door. On seeing Ziva he raced to her and wrapped his little arms around her neck. The boy couldn't have been more than four years old.  
"Something you want to tell me, Ziva?" Tony's eyes were filled with hurt, and he stepped back, breaking their hold.  
"Oh no. Tony, I can explain."  
"I'm waiting." He snapped.  
"This is Rodrigo. Stan's son." She was trying to stay calm, but inside her head was throbbing. She was kind of hoping to have been able to lead into the "Stan's kids live with me when he's on business." conversation. "They stay here when he's on business because their mother is dead, and Stan can't take them along."  
"Probably something you should have told me about, Ziva." He reached out to grab her hand, realising he over reacted slightly, just as his and Ziva's phones rang.  
"Your boss?" Tony asked, pointing at her phone.  
"Yours?" She replied, nodding her own head in acknowledgement.  
"Got it boss." They both said, Ziva pointing to her house, and Tony to his car, they were needed at the crimescene now. The radiation was a hoax, probably meant to buy the killer more time.

It only took 25 minutes for Tony to get to the crimescene and start canvassing. Ziva beat him there somehow, and they spent the first little while sharing secret smiles while nobody was looking. "What have we got here?" A new face asked, dropping down the embankment and turning to stand next to the rest of her team.  
When she saw the person who spoke, the one who had replaced her at NCIS, Ziva's blood ran cold. There was no mistaking it. She was the girl from the photos, and it made her furious."Can I have a minute with you please, Tony." Ziva ignored the agent's questions and dragged her boyfriend away from his team. She didn't speak until she was sure they were out of ear shot. Anger made her head foggy and she felt like her stomach was about to fall out it was so heavy with the knots it had tied itself into. Tony already looked as though he knew what she was about to say, and he knew she was right.

"So that is how you find your girlfriends, Tony?" Ziva snapped, not caring about who heard her. "You sit at the desk opposite them? Brilliant Tony."  
"Ziva, it's not like that at all. You know that."  
"No Tony, I do not. All I know is that this is something you should have told me before. But you did not. But somehow you had the _nerve _to accuse me of just that not one hour ago. Just go. I do not want any more games, Tony. I have had enough. I am humiliated right now. I feel like I was just another girl. Tony. How could you not tell me this?"  
Tony looked as though he was about to protest, but decided against it. There was no point, not yet. He wasn't giving up, he was just giving her the space she needed to calm down, and get her bearings straight. He refused for things to end before they even started, so instead of fighting back, he nodded solemly, and turned on his heel. "I'm sorry." If Ziva didn't have the ninja-like hearing she was equipped with, then she probably wouldn't have heard it. Her stomach churned and she felt tears stinging the corners of her eyes. "Fool." she whispered to herself, uncertain if she meant for loving him, or for pushing him away.  
"Ziva, sometimes you walk away; sometimes you walk towards something. I just hope you're walking in the right direction." Gibbs told her, stepping out from behind a tree nearby. As they stood watching Tony walk away with his head hanging down, Gibbs added "He's a good man, David. And remember rule number 5, _Ziver_." She looked at him with her dark eyes the size of dinner plates. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. A few years ago, he would have slapped her in the back of the head, and told her about rule number 12. Now? Now he was telling her to go for it.  
"What have I done, Gibbs?" She asked, realising how stupid she was for pushing him away. "He was always just trying to be there for me."  
"Ah, he'll be fine." Gibbs took a swig of his coffee "So will you."

* * *

**a/n: **credit to _mmkbrook_ for the line "sometimes you walk away; sometimes you walk towards something"


End file.
